The Rules
by leblover
Summary: Even Flynn Rider had a few rules when it came to theivery. But once he runs into a recently escaped, naive blonde. He finds himself breaking quite a few of 'em. But can he afford to? Especially on the eve of his biggest heist ever? Pre-movie in a way.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I should probably be updating my other story, but I'm having some serious writers block on that and then I thought. . .what better way to end 2011 and kick off 2012 than with a new story, right?**

**Summary: Even Flynn Rider had a few rules when it came to thievery. But once he runs into a recently escaped, naïve blonde, he finds himself breaking quite a few of 'em. But can he afford to? Especially on the eve of his biggest heist ever?**

**Pre-movie, kind of AU-ish but it's more like a different, more realistic approach to Tangled. Also, some characters (not Flynn or Rapunzel) will be slightly OOC intentionally, but don't worry; this is gonna be fun!**

**P.s. I don't own Tangled!**

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><p>The Rules: Chap 1 Flynn Rider's POV<p>

Hey, you wanna know something about me? I am the biggest idiot on Earth, seriously.

You wanna know why?

It's because I did it again. I broke the things that kept me going, that kept me focused, and more importantly, kept me alive. I broke my rules, the sacred rules that defined my very character as Flynn Rider. And for what? Some under aged blonde chick I've only known for like 4 or 5 days? Some cutesy naïve babe with. . .gorgeous light green eyes that pull me in like a magnet, fair pink-tinted skin that's softer than a baby's behind, a smile that could light up a cave—

_-'SLAP!'-_

Damn! I needed a mental slap but since when did they hurt so much?

"Wake up, Rider." Said the last voice I ever wanted to hear in my life; the Captain of the Guards'. I opened my eyes slowly, which was tough considering the pain going through the left side of my head. The man had the most hawkish features; a thin face with a small but pointed nose, hard brown eyes, and a ridiculous mustache over his trembling upper lip. Two of his lackeys were on guard and standing behind him, just in case I tried to pull something. Any other criminal probably would've been intimidated, but not me. Let's just say the Captain and I know each other far too well. . .scratch that, we _think_ we know each other far too well. I'm a changed man believe it or not.

I looked around the room for the first time, which wasn't too spacious if ya know what I mean. The place was dark, dry, dirty, depressing, and did I mention dark? The walls were made of some kinda blackish-gray stones, dulling the light streaming from one lonely window that was barely the size of a head. And if all that wasn't enough, my arms were numb from being handcuffed and hung off a chain from the ceiling, my ankles were cuffed too and swinging an inch off the ground lazily.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this day Rider. And I guarantee you this time you won't be able to weasel your way out of the gallows." The Captain said with a smug, widening grin. "Not as long as we've got your little lady-friend waiting for you on the other side."

The old me would've probably shrugged off the threat or denied I had any connection to her, but we had more than a connection now. And the tone in which he said it. . .well, that made me down right furious. The feeling in my arms was coming back to me now, and I started fisting my hands around the chains to control my anger.

"Leave her out of this." I responded bitterly. "She hasn't done anything; I'm the one who tried to steal the crown." What was I saying? Well, that's one more rule I just completely disregarded. . .again; Rule number 19: DENY EVERYTHING, and especially don't admit it out loud.

"Oh and you expect me to believe she's just some lost puppy following you around on your little shopping trips." He snickered.

"YES!" I lied, almost to the point of yelling. Well, it wasn't a COMPLETE lie, that's how it started out but then things just got. . .complicated. Truth was she was just as guilty as me and the Stabbington Brothers now; she went along with it all willingly. . . .Ok, ok I may have convinced her a bit, just a little. Ok a lot, but that's beside the point.

Looking back on it, I never should've let her tag along in the first place. And it was her fault that the both of us got caught while the brothers escaped at our expense.

But the Captain didn't buy a word of it. "Cut the bullshit Rider, I know she's your new accomplice. I got to admit, she's a feisty one too; kicking and screaming all the way to the noose. But don't worry; you'll be seeing her real soon. You two lovebirds stole together, now you're gonna die together." He finished with that smug, sinister grin. It made the blood in my veins boil with rage as I imagined poor Rapunzel, kicking and screaming against the guards, a rope tied around her fragile neck waiting to snap it like a twig. I could feel my face turn red and heat up from anger, so I did what came naturally with it; I picked a fight.

I gripped the chain tighter, pulled myself up, and kicked the son of a bitch right in the jaw. But his lackeys were faster than I thought; one of 'em was holding my legs down while the other started punching me in the gut. The pain was horrible but I had made my point with the Captain.

"Enough!" he barked, rubbing gently at his lower jaw; which caused the guards to stop and stare at him. "Uncuff him, and take him to the hangman. It's time we get this over with."

They obeyed, slightly reluctant but not speaking out as they dragged me out the cell. But before they did I said "This isn't over Cap."

He laughed shortly, still rubbing at my little souvenir. "So you think Rider, so you think."

I had to limp fast to keep up with their pace or else they'd be dragging across the floor instead of me walking on it. This went on for a few minutes as we passed corridor after corridor of cells to finally make it outside onto the courtyard. There was a line of guards in their bright red and bronze uniforms, each playing the same type of drum to the beat normally associated with hangings; and it was where _she_ was waiting at the gallows.

Rapunzel looked down at the wooden floor in defeat with closed eyes, not having the courage to look me in the eye. Even though that's exactly what I wanted her to do. She was still wearing that dark green dress I had stolen for her birthday, but now it was ripped and tattered with dirt; her face was a bit smeared as well. She was also cuffed and had the rope around her. But I knew underneath all that. . .was the most beautiful girl I've ever laid eyes on. Those thoughts made the pain in my gut ease as I marched up the stairs and stood next to her. Then one of the taller guards tied the noose around my neck and fastened it.

I tried to look at her but she kept turning her face away. "Rapunzel," I started softly, "look at me."

Slowly, she did. Her eyes were wet as she tried to choke back tears with sheer will, but the longer we gazed at each other, the more teardrops escaped from her eyes. "I'm so. . .I'm so sorry Flynn." She choked out.

The guard's hand went for the lever that would end us both but I still had a few seconds to still say what I wanted to say, what I needed to say. And so I did; "I love you Blondie." And the strange thing is, it was the most honest thing I've ever said. Only love would be able to crush those once impenetrable walls I set up with my stupid rules; it kept me isolated, it kept me from feeling attachments, and it kept others from feeling attached to me.

I'll never forget the day I started breaking them, because that was the day she touched my heart.

And to think, this all started out because of our dreams; Two very separate dreams that were actually one in the same. And this. . .is the story of how it all got tangled.

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><p><strong>AN: So what do ya think? You guys all know how much I love reviews so. . .REVIEW!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello everyone, it took longer than I thought but I finally did it. It was a real blast to write so I hope you guys like it.**

**Dear reviewer,**

**Reverend Lovejoy: Come on, the Captain's not hated that much. And sorry about that, I could never get people's nose right ;)**

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><p>The Rules: Chap 2<p>

Flynn Rider's POV, 5 days earlier

I was just a simple guy with simple dreams. When I was five, I wanted toys. When I was eight, I wanted a friend. When I was thirteen, I wanted the Hell out of my life. And what do I want now you may ask?

It's nothing really. Just an island, enormous piles of money, all with my three closest friends; me, myself, and I.

Ahh, I can just imagine it now; me laying down on the fine white sand, arms stretched, hands behind my head. A sunny cloudless sky settled up above, shining down just enough rays for me to get a good tan while I'm sipping a pina collata or maybe some coconut milk straight up. Yeah, that's my dream.

Unfortunately, to get anything in this life, you gotta work for it.

And that's exactly what I do; I work my ass off stealing for other people too lazy to get what they want themselves. A thief-for-hire, you might say. And I'm the best in the kingdom, if not the world, at what I do.

But right now, I'm sitting with a client. I was with some really shady guys in a dark office at the back of a very nice, marble building. There were 4 guys, one sitting down behind a fine hard oak desk and three others in simple black cloaks with hoods, probably his security if not entourage, behind him. The man sitting down had long black hair, a trimmed beard. He was wearing a silvery vest underneath his flowing dark blue robes, and had a circle of pure silver resting on his head. It wasn't really Corona's style or choice of colors, but it was obvious the man was pretty high up the social ladder; which begs the question of why a man of his stature would need my services, but hey, I'm not complaining. That just means this is a big job, with a lot a money involved.

"I assume you are the infamous Flynn Rider, correct?" he said. If I didn't know better, I'd say I heard a bit of doubt in his tone, like it was too hard to believe the guy in front of him was one of the most wanted criminals in the kingdom.

I laid back comfortably in the smaller chair across from him, calm and collective, but slightly offended as well. "Do I have to prove it to you?" I asked slyly.

"Oh, it's that I don't believe you," he assured, "but there's just a bit of a discrepancy between you and your. . ." suddenly one of the men behind him handed me a poster; a wanted poster with a really gorgeous and familiar guy on it, only problem was his nose looked like a squashed tomato. Underneath the picture, it read:

'_WANTED THIEF: FLYNN RIDER'_

_CAUTION: SUSPECT IS ARMED AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. CONTACT GUARDS ON SIGHTING._

"Umm, image, so to speak." He finished.

I was two seconds away from face-palming myself before I thought that would make me look stupid in front of my client. Instead, I just sighed, threw it away in disgust, and said "Well, Corona's not really known for its decent artists if you know what I mean. Hell, you should've seen the mural they did for the Lost Princess. I swear, a blind man could've painted a better picture."

"Fair enough," The man said calmly. "Getting back to business, my name is-"

But I cut him off and said "Let me just stop you right there buddy. Rule number 1: NO NAMES. All you need to know is who I am, and what I can do. And all I need to know is what you need, and how much you're willing to pay. Other than that, the less we know about each other, the better."

He didn't look too happy with me interrupting him, but I could see the gears turning in his head. He was thinking one of three things; 1) The man's got guts, he's dead meat. 2) The man's got guts, he's hired. Or 3) Where did he get such a handsome face? Ok, probably not the 3rd one but come on, who wouldn't think that?

"A man with rules," he said nodding slowly. "I respect that."

I smirked; the job was mine. Hook-line-and-sinker. "That issue aside. . ." I said, resting my feet on top the fine desk. "What can I steal for ya?"

The client didn't seem to take having somebody's boots on his desk too kindly, but he restrained himself to just eying me sternly. But even that couldn't stop a mischievous grin from playing across his thin lips. A different man behind him handed me another poster, but it wasn't a wanted poster; it was a picture of a circle of gold, encrusted with all kinds of different colored jewels and jems, and in the middle were three diamonds probably the size of my fist. My eyes widened, and my brain went completely blank as I felt my heart skip a beat in recognition of it. The thing every thief in the kingdom has daydreamed of stealing, none of whom have succeeded, and all have died trying. "That's the-"

"The crown of the Lost Princess of Corona, yes." The man said still grinning. "The people I work for have a great interest in it, and they're willing to pay top dollar to get their hands on it."

It took me a few seconds to recover from the shock before answering "They'd have to if this is how their messenger dresses."

His grin faded. "I'm nobody's messenger, they just can't be seen talking to people like you. So, do we have a deal Mr. Rider?"

'_No! Don't do it! You'll die!_' said my conscience. But I answered "That depends, how much are they paying for such a beautiful crown?"

"One. . .million. . .pounds." He said slowly.

And that. . .is what caused me to faint for the first time in my life.

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><p>Rapunzel's POV<p>

I'm just a simple girl, for the most part, with simple dreams; to go outside and see the floating lights on my birthday. There's just one teeny tiny problem; I'm not allowed to leave my tower.

Normally, I'm ok with that. I mean, home is where the heart is, right? And besides, I have everything I could ever want in my tower; food, a bed, dresses, paints and brushes, a guitar, and even a living breathing. . .albeit not human, friend; Pascal the chameleon. But still, I feel like I need to see those lights.

I remember when I was four, and my mother and I were sitting down by the fireplace. She was brushing my long, golden hair while I sang the new song she had just taught me. When I finished it, I remember asking her "Mommy, why can't I go outside?"

She sighed slowly, "The outside world is a cold, dark place flower. Filled with many bad things; ruffians, thugs, poison ivy, men with pointed teeth!"

"Oh my." I replied.

"But we're safe in here flower, that is why you must stay in this tower."

I nodded slowly. "Yes mommy."

And so I did, but on that very same night, I snuck out of my bed, tip-toed my way past Mother's room, and opened the shutters to see lights up in the sky; big, bright, moving yellow lights streaming under the stars like water in a stream. They were, without a doubt, absolutely beautiful. I reached out to touch them but they were so far, and they were outside. I prayed for one, just one, light to fly away from the rest and come to me. . .but not one did. And then. . .an idea sprang up in my mind, and when I get an idea, I never forget about it. What if I left to see the lights? Just for one day. I ignored it of course, but every year on my birthday, when I look up at those lights, it comes back and it's getting harder to ignore.

With only five days left till my birthday, it's come back again, and I'm finally going to do it. Today, I'm going to ask Mother if I can go outside for the lights! And everything has to be perfect when Mother gets home. So, I've been cleaning the entire tower from top to bottom spotless all day long.

"This is it Pascal," I said twirling around the room for last minute checks, a wide smile on my face in the anticipation of her arrival. "Today's the day I'm finally going to ask her!"

Pascal smiled widely and nodded quickly at the words.

"What do you think we should do first when we go outside? Running? Racing? Dancing? Prancing? Singing? There's so many things to do and see, but what?"

Then, a voice came from the base of the tower _"Rapunzellll, let down your haaiiiiir!" _Mother said in a sweet voice.

"Coming Mother!" I answered. "Go, hide Pascal. Wish me luck."

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><p><strong>AN: Please, please, please REVIEW! You have no idea how much they mean to me.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I had a lot of fun writing this and it's long too, hope you guys like it. Enjoy!**

**P.s. I own nothing**

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><p>The Rules: Chap 3<p>

Rapunzel's POV

"YOU ARE NOT LEAVING THIS TOWER!" Mother bellowed angrily. Her face was as red as a rose beside her charcoal black hair, but her expression was one of furiousness and annoyance. She then marched toward her room, stomping her feet against the floor loudly to let off some excess anger. "EVER!" she added before slamming the door.

I stood completely still in the middle of the living room bewildered at her response, not making a sound as I breathed in heavily to calm myself and choked back tears threatening to escape. Mother had just yelled at me; she's never yelled at me before. She's raised her voice on a few occasions but never like this. And the emptiness of the tower seemed to make the booming cry even louder and echo against the thick circulars walls of the room. The echo had faded after a second or two, but I could still hear those dreadful words repeatedly ringing, and ringing, and ringing in my head like a never ending bell. _'You are never leaving this tower. . .ever.'_ It was that last word that made something break inside me; that ghastly word ev-. . .I didn't dare finish that word, for it had broken my hopes, my dreams, my happiness. . .and my very soul. They were just pieces now, crumbling little pieces left of a pie that wasn't whole anymore. There was almost a kind of hatred behind those words, as if she feared something outside that was worse than ruffians or thugs or poison ivy. But how could it have come to this?

Everything was going fine, just fine until I popped the question of seeing the lights and going outside. After I pulled Mother up, she walked in calmly and pulled back the hood of her cloak, revealing her curly black web of hair.

"Welcome home, Mother." I said excitedly, unable to suppress a smile from coming across my lips.

"Oh Rapunzel," she said slightly exhausted. "I've had such a rough day flower. Facing all the horrors of the outside just to get you the supplies you need, ugh. You have no idea how lucky you are to stay in this tower." She finished before placing a basket of food and new paints on the kitchen table.

'_Yeah, I'm truly blessed.'_ I thought. Ok, it was now or never. I'm going to ask her. I am a strong, confident woman. Strong, confident, and grown up. "Um, listen Mother there's something I want to-"

"Rapunzel, Mama's feeling a little down, would you sing for me flower?" she interrupted, ignoring me as if I'd said nothing.

I hesitated for a second. Maybe if I sang for her she'd be more open about going outside. The thought made me a bit more hopeful and I answered "Oh, of course Mother."

I quickly grabbed her chair and moved it into the room then rushed back, grabbed the footstool for myself along with my hairbrush, placed a bundle of my hair in her lap, handed her the brush and quickly sat down in record time. Believe me, it's even more tiring than it sounds but I was running high on the anticipation of asking my question.

"_Flower gleam and glow. Let your power shine. Make the clock reverse. Bring back what once was mine."_ I sang it so fast Mother had to tell me to wait as if singing too fast would ruin the magic. It wouldn't of course but when I finished she looked like she was about to grill me for not listening. But I turned around on my stool and spoke before she could.

"So Mother, as I was saying, there's something I want to ask you."

She had kept a disinterested face on but raised a brow slowly. "And what would that be?" her tone was kinda hard to place; there was a weird mix of curiosity and annoyance in it. Curious was good, though it wasn't much to work with.

"Well," I began looking downward and moved a few strands of hair back. "It's just that. . .I um. . .I want, uh. . ." Was it me or was the air getting thinner? Oh God, I was mumbling. Not good.

Mother snickered and rolled her eyes, "Rapunzel stop mumbling, you know how I hate the mumbling. Speak up and look at me when you say something." I could tell her annoyance was outweighing her curiosity now.

'_So much for strong and confident. JUST SAY IT! What's there to lose?'_ I yelled at myself mentally. So I took a deep breath and blurted out loudly "I wanna see the floating lights!" I had a wide smile on like I was a child that just got a piece of candy.

Finally. I finally said it.

But Mother didn't look too happy with my birthday wish; her whole body froze in response, and her metallic gray eyes were steely cold, borderline scary, as if she were starring daggers at me. "You what?" she asked. It was a semi-sweet tone, but behind it was very, very dangerous feeling.

My smile and excitement quickly faded and was replaced with a frown and a nervous fear. "The floating lights." I repeated, shrinking in on myself beneath her terrifying gaze. "My birthday's in a couple days and I was. . .I was thinking we could go see them. . .um, outside?" I finished sheepishly with a shrug.

She continued staring at me for a few more seconds until she stood up from her seat, and very plainly said "No." before walking away.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no." She added quickly. "You are not going outside."

I stood up in shock and said in utter disbelief, "What?"

"Rapunzel, I said no, end of discussion."

"But. . .but Mother, it's my birthday and I'm turning 18 in days. I'm practically and adult!" I argued.

"Rapunzel! Enough! We're through talking about this." She replied firmly.

"This isn't fair!" I yelled at her. It was the first time I've ever done that, but I didn't feel proud of myself for it.

Because that's when she shouted at me.

I sank to my knees on the floor at the thought of what just happened. Then Pascal appeared next to me, colored in a depressing blue that matched my mood perfectly. He looked up at me with his large sad eyes and rested his head against my leg. I petted the top of his head instinctively. "She's never going to let me leave." I said softly, a single tear escaping from my eyelids.

Am I just going to live out the rest of my life in a tower? Basically being a servant to my mother? Healing her, cooking for her, cleaning for her? And never being able to leave this. . .this cage? This prison? This trap?

**No. Absolutely not**. Mother may not have a life to live but I do; I'm going to see those lights.

And so, with my mind set on that, I stood up and climbed the staircase to my room so fast I startled Pascal, who looked a bit confused for a sec before following me up.

Inside my room, I grabbed three dresses from my closet, some paints and brushes, threw them on my bed cover, and knotted said bed cover into a makeshift bag.

Pascal scaled up the nightstand, watching me intently and still confused at what I was doing.

"Pascal, we're leaving. . .without Mother." I explained, not taking my eyes off packing. I didn't see his expression, but if I had to guess, his mouth probably dropped to the floor.

I then swung the blanket/bag over my shoulder, marched downstairs, and opened the window shutters to slide down. But then I thought. . .what am I doing? I'm going to the outside world filled with scary, horrible creatures and all I'm bringing is a bag of clothes and a chameleon? Leaving was already crazy and reckless in itself, but that would be suicide. I needed a weapon; something big, something tough, but what?

I went back to the kitchen and searched the drawers for anything I could use. Spoons? Yeah, right. Forks? Pointy, but too small. A frying pan? Hmmm. . .it's perfect!

My weapon at hand, my bag over my shoulder, and with Pascal at my side, I threw my hair onto the hook outside and looked back into the tower for the last time. This was my home, but not anymore. I feel no desire for a life in a tower. Have I ever had?

"Goodbye Mother." I said before sliding down to the green, grassy earth.

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><p>The Snuggly Duckling, Flynn Rider's POV<p>

"Half a million pounds?" said Jack Stabbington (a.k.a Sideburns) in disbelief. His brother, Wade (a.k.a Eye patch), sat next to him on a bar stool, his mouth hung open, at one of the only pubs outside the capital city. "For the lost princess crown?" Jack finished.

I nodded, grinning like an idiot. It was actually one million but if I was gonna split the money between us, it was probably best they didn't know about the rest. Hey, half a mil is a huge amount of money though.

After my little chat with the clients, who by the way gave me just a week to accomplish my theft, I had to get started on my work. . .like, right away. And I was gonna need help, and a lot of it.

So it was only natural I call up the Stabbington Bros. the toughest, meanest thieves in Corona. In the _'hierarchy'_ as we in the criminal underworld like to call it, I was thief numero Uno. . .and the Stabbingtons were a close two and three behind. But they're actually not that bad, yes yes they're criminals, but so what? We had actually worked on quite a few jobs together over the years; they were the muscle and I was the stealth, and we had made good money together. They were one of the few people I trusted, not trusted trusted but it's as close as I'll ever get to. Except this job, was on a whole other level.

Jack shook his head before taking a swing of beer, "No way, Rider. This deal can't be legit. Nobody's got that kinda money that ain't royalty or close to it."

"It's legit Jack," I replied with a swing of my own, "And I don't think he's close to our royalty. Most likely a forgeiner, and he said whoever he's working for is very interested in it. I'd trade in my own good looks for that kinda gold."

He snickered. "As much as we'd love for you to lose your complexion Rider, you of all people should know what happened before. Six times some smug bastard's tried to steal that crown, and six times that bastard's wind up hanging by a rope the next day. It might not be worth it this time."

Oh, I knew the stories alright, I knew 'em well. The first two times were the closest, they had actually had the crown in hand before getting caught, and the four that followed died trying. They said that the crown is locked up underneath the palace, behind 6 inch thick metal walls, booby traps that'll slice you to pieces, animals that'll tear the flesh of a anything that moves, and more. It was a good story to tell and has been scaring off thieves for over five years, when the last attempt was made. The King of Corona has made it sure no one would dare to even try to take the last thing he has left of his daughter, the Lost Princess crown.

The royal family was a sad story, losing a child to kidnapping but I didn't give a damn. I lived and fought in a rundown, crappy orphanage my childhood and you don't see anyone weeping for me, not that I wanted them to.

"You're saying it's not worth it to earn enough money to disappear forever?" I challenged.

"You know I didn't say that, stop twisting my words." He challenged back.

I huffed, "Think about it, we keep doing the jobs we do, how far will it get us? Just enough to eat, drink, and enjoy ourselves for a few months. We do this job and leave the kingdom, our whole lives will be made." I then leaned in a little closer for dramatic effect, "We could go to wherever and be whoever we wanna be, and you're telling me a shot at that isn't worth it?"

Jack sighed conflicted and took another drink. He looked to his brother Wade, who offered a nod and a lopsided grin in response. Wade is a tough case, he's kind of a mute but no one really knows for sure, and if Jack knows he doesn't share. Point is he doesn't talk much but when he gives any kind of response, it gets to Jack.

He sighed again and looked back at me. "We're in."

I smirked and tapped my glass against his, "Pleasure doing business with ya, but I gotta run." I said finishing my drink and walking away.

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><p><strong>AN: So, what do ya think? Tell me in a REVIEW, ok?**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey people, I know I haven't updated this in a while but I was so focused on my other story I didn't have a lot of time to work on this. But here it is anyway! Hope you enjoy.**

**P.s. I own nothing.**

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><p>The Rules: Chap 4<p>

Rapunzel's POV

I can't really tell you what happened after I slid down the tower (which in itself was the most thrilling, exciting activity I've ever done in my short soon-to-be 18 year old life). Because everything happened; it was a very long, very hazy, and a very, very blissful blur of events.

I remember the moment I first touched the grass, those wonderful blades of dark green that tickled my toes to no end. I remember stepping into a calm stream; and even though the water reached only to my ankles, I felt like fish, perfectly content under the water as if I'd spent my whole life swimming. I remember running, and the rushing feeling of adrenaline coursing through my thin legs that for so long were barely used in a 150 sq. meter tower. I remember the singing, the racing, the dancing, the prancing, and I especially remember the heart pounding. It was all so magical; the wind against my face, blowing back 70 feet of hair like a tail, the rush of blood in my ears, the fresh pine-scented forest air filling my lungs. Those lonely eighteen years in a tower meant nothing now. I truly felt like I was born again, and I knew. . .this is when my life begins.

I knew this is what it feels like to be free.

I could barely keep the laughter that was bubbling inside me, a long, hysterical, beyond happy laugh that I wanted the whole forest to hear. "Free at last, free at last, hello new world I'm free at last!"

And then something caught my eye; a faint flash of white in a backdrop of green and brown. I stopped running and looked back to see what it was. I then found myself face to face with a large oak tree. Well, face to face with what was on the tree; a white paper showing the picture of a man. He was a little difficult to describe with his smug grin, his perfect (not pointy, mind you) teeth, wavy hair, light eyes, hairy chin, and. . .an extremely pointed nose?

Excluding the last feature, he looked. . .hmm, what's the right word? Pretty? No, not that. Handsome? Yeah, that's it; he looked handsome and very different than Mother's description of a man. Underneath the picture, the paper said:

'_WANTED THIEF: FLYNN RIDER'_

_CAUTION: SUSPECT IS ARMED AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. CONTACT GUARDS ON SIGHTING._

Oh my, a thief. An armed and dangerous thief! Hmm, I better watch out for him.

So I moved on after that, thinking _'what was I going to do next?'_ The thrill of finally leaving the tower was starting to die down and I had already spent the day running, and singing, and prancing, and just enjoying myself in the woods. The floating lights were still days away, so what now?

Luckily, or unluckily depending on how you look at it, my growling stomach answered that; find food, I'm starving. Apparently so was Pascal as he then popped up on my shoulder, rubbing his stomach and giving a small pout.

"You hungry too?" I asked.

He nodded.

"I'm sorry Pascal, I didn't bring any food." I said sadly. It was my fault; I didn't plan far ahead, I never even considered leaving until a few hours ago. I was so mad and upset at Mother I just walk out into the world unprepared, it was stupid of me to bring just some clothes and a frying pan for a trip like this.

And then. . .the air started to smell different. It smelled. . .sweet, like some sugary aroma got lost in the forest. If I didn't know better, I'd say it smelled like cupcakes.

Without even knowing it, I started walking toward the smell, following it like a moth would toward a flame. I was so hungry it was hard to resist, not that I wanted to of course. But who would be baking cupcakes in the middle of nowhere?

And then I saw the source.

A very misshapen building that was basically lying against a very large tree. The building looked so bent and twisted it seemed like it was about to cave in on itself any moment now, but strangely, it gave off this comfy, homey vive. The sign next to the strange building had the picture of a yellow duck surrounded by grass, underneath saying: _THE SNUGGLY DUCKLING_.

"Well," I said with a small smile to Pascal, "I do like duckling." before I walked toward the building.

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><p>Flynn Rider's POV<p>

Everything was perfect.

There really wasn't any other way to say it. My day was just turning out real well, which is a first for an unlucky guy like me. I had gotten the job of a lifetime, found two of the best partners in crime to help, had a few beers, and still got a few more days to pull the job off. And to think, it's only 11 in the morning. I had a feeling this was gonna be a really, really big day. One that'll go down in history as the start of how Flynn Rider, squash buckling rogue and infamous thief that he is, stole the one thing that was once thought unattainable by any man, thief or otherwise, The Crown of the Lost Princess of Corona.

All I had to do now was strategize. Believe me; this was not going to be an easy job. What'd you expect? I sneak in from the rooftop unseen, drop down to the ground where the crown sat on a fluffy pillow, grab it under the Guards' noses, and sneak back out? Yeah, if only it were that easy. I had to get eyes and ears from inside the palace, map out routes and schedules to find the best entry and exit at whichever time. I had to pick up some gear, anything useful in a break-in would do; disguises, ropes, a satchel, but no weapons. **Rule number 6: NEVER CARRY A WEAPON**, you carry one and you'll be tempted to use it. And that's when things get bloody. The Stabbington Bros. didn't necessarily like my rules, especially number 6, but they learned to deal with 'em and some actually made good sense.

After that, all I needed was an opportunity; and what better opportunity to steal the crown than on her birthday, exactly 5 days away. Corona City and the Royal Palace will be crowded with people and guests, far too many for the Guards to spot or control.

It would all go according to plan, and it was a full-proof plan. Nothing could possibly go wrong.

Until _she_ walked in.

All 5 feet 4 inches of green eyes, dimples, and golden blond hair while moving those petite, slender curves of hers. Flashing a pearly white, awestruck smile as she stepped inside the pub. What was even more surprising than her looks, was her hair. It flowed behind her like a bridal train, and was probably twice as long as one too.

I was completely unfazed by it all of course.

"Rider." I heard the voice of Jack Stabbington say, "Hey Rider!" he yelled in my ear.

I think he almost took out my eardrum from that. "What!" I yelled back.

"Why you drooling over the blond chick like a schoolboy goin through puberty?"

Ok, maybe slightly unfazed. "No, no, no, no, no. I was NOT drooling." I stated firmly.

He smiled slyly, "Yes. Yes you were. Hey, don't worry about it. She's cute I'll give ya that, but don't ya think you should be drooling over someone a bit more. . .what's the word? Mature! Come on Rider, girl barely looks legal."

"Oh and you're so innocent?" I challenged, raising my brow.

He shook his head, "Never said I was. And we're thieves, you know better than to ask a bone-head question like that."

"Never mind." I said, rolling my eyes to find where that girl went. She was already sitting with the pub thugs, munching on one of Attila's cupcakes as if it were a slice of heaven, while they talked and examined her ridiculously long hair. The Pub thugs, those old softies were barely trying to hide their sickeningly mushy feelings around the girl. They usually at least tried to act terrifying and nasty before going soft, but they didn't this time.

"What do ya suppose they're talking about?" I asked Jack.

He raised a brow in return. "Does it look like I give a damn? And weren't you just leaving anyway?"

I grinned, "Nah, I might stick around a bit longer, enjoy the atmosphere some more."

He snickered, "What atmosphere? This is the Snuggly Duckling for God's sakes, Rider. The place where soft thugs, the kingdom's most wanted thieves, and now young run away damsels all converge in the spirit of eating, drinking booze, and discussing their _'feelings'_. Give me a break." He said with an eye roll. "So quit bein such a pussy and talk to the damn girl."

I sighed in defeat, he wasn't gonna let this go. "Ok fine, but only because she's new to the pub."

Jack mumbled something back but it was too low for me to hear. I ignored him and strolled over to the blond on the other side of the pub. Jack was right, she looked young, I mean really young. And surrounded by all those huge, unruly thugs only made her seem all the more innocent, like an angel amongst lower men.

When I reached their table, I said "Hey."

She looked up from her cupcake and said politely "Hi." It was almost too cute; she had a bit of pink frosting on the tip of her nose, and I was really tempted to wipe it off before that sounded really intimate and creepy. So I put on my best smile and said "The name's Rider. Flynn Rider. You've probably heard of me before, and I know what you're thinking; those wanted photo's really don't do me justice."

But as soon as I said it, I knew something was wrong. There was a flicker of fear in those emerald green eyes at the mention of my name, and she dropped her sweet in the process. She looked tense and nervous now, like a scared, cornered wild animal filled with panic.

I was about to ask what was wrong, but then she stood from her seat and swung something cold and hard against my face. Then everything went black.

This wasn't exactly what I had in mind when I said _'really, really big day.'_

I may not have known it at the time, but this was the beginning of a long, tangled adventure. One I may not live to tell about.

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><p><strong>AN: I'm not too happy with the ending, I wanted to add more but then you guys would probably have to wait much longer. Next chapter the story will start to pick up, I promise. Also, next week I have Mid-Term exams so you most likely won't see any updates on my stories till after. Please Review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Ok, so it's been 3 MONTHS since I've updated this story and I am so so sorry to everyone who's been waiting for this (probably not many of you though). But thanks to some new reviewers, I've decided to continue this story again. Shout out to ****Cammie Cassia Chase**** for the inspiration! You rock!**

**Ok, so here we go. P.s. I own nothing.**

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><p><em><span>The Rules: <span>_

_Chapter 5_

Flynn Rider (like any rebellious, arrogant full time thief/part time man-whore that he was) had accepted the fact a long time ago that life would never be normal, or easy, for him. He was a guy who lived in the moment. Who lived _for_ the moment. By design or fate, that's led him into a few complex situations every now and then.

So, in all horrifying honesty. . .getting clobbered by a 5 foot 4, highly attractive, teenage girl with a feakin' mile of hair that looked about as priceless as gold was NOT the strangest thing that _could_ happen to him. What was weird for him was that he didn't even feel a ping of anger toward the blonde. In fact, he was kinda impressed. He always did have a thing for women who could take care of themselves, in more ways than one. And brunettes. He especially had a thing for brunettes. But the incident did however, put a huge damper on what had been a great day for him.

'Did he deserve it?' he had asked himself subconsciously. Naaaahhh, course not. Hell, they barely had a three-minute conversation, and _he_ was the one trying to play nice until she knocked him out. Some might even say it was damn right heroic of him, considering his reputation, acting like such a gentleman in front of a lady.

. . .So why did she hit him?

That was the million dollar question he woke up to 10 minutes later.

!#$%^&*()

. . .

He groaned, struggling to open his eyes at the surprisingly heavy weight of his head, which happened to be sulking rather lazily into his lap. Strange. . . He could've sworn he' been lying face first into the wooden floorboards of the Duckling. And when had he been sitting on a chair with his head almost, repeat: almost, between his legs.

Ok, so not exactly the most chivalrous of positions to find yourself in but, eh, he'd been in worse.

That's when he heard the conversation, if you could call it that, going around.

"Why the fuck did you do that!" he heard Jack Stabbington shout.

He didn't even have to be conscious to know who that question was directed to. Flynn was mighty curious himself about that as he picked up his head and fluttered his eyes open. Nobody paid him any attention. And then he noticed why.

Blondie (whose name he hadn't even gotten) was backed up into the corner of the pub pointing her. . .wait, was that a frying pan? Damn. Flynn Rider—most wanted man alive (however way you look at it, ladies) and thief extraordinaire—got clubbed by a kitchen utensil. That was sure to put a dent in his massive sized ego. Ok, digressing now, back to the point. She was backed up into the corner pointing her now infamous frying pan threateningly at everyone and anyone who tried to come within three feet of her. She still had that fearful, animalistic look he'd noticed before, and her pupils were dilated. Like a dear on the road about to get run over.

Everyone in the pub was up and out of their seats crowding around and starring at the blonde, all wisely keeping their distance I may add. Most (*cough, cough* the Pub Thugs) were looking at her with somewhat fearful glances. Others (*cough, cough* The Stabbingtons) were glaring at her like she was a Royal Guard—which is to say, not too kindly and with a lot of suspicion.

Blondie looked pale, her mouth hung on slightly as if she were trying (and failing) to find the words to answer that. ". . .I. . .uh. . ." Clearly not the smartest of responses, she steeled her expression and said, "He's a thief!"

The guys were looking at each other like it was the most normal thing a person could say. Which, in truth it was.

Still. Flynn faked a wince, "Ouch, Blondie. You really know how to hit a guy where it hurts."

Everyone's eyes were suddenly on him. He ignored them and got to his feet. His head was still feeling heavy and was messing with his center of gravity, but he toughened it out and walked over to face Rapunzel.

"Don't you know it's rude to point out other people's flaws," He patronized, looking up and down at her endless amount of hair. "Looks like you've got your fair share of those."

She pulled back the frying pan to stroke her blonde locks, averting her eyes absently from his gaze. She was nervous, and Flynn could see his words had cut her deep. Part of him didn't know why he was being mean, but another part of him was scolding himself for not going far enough. She _hit_ him for god's sake! Make her suffer!

He didn't, however, expect the next words that came out of her mouth. Still looking nervous and not resuming eye contact, she said, "Don't you know it's wrong to take what doesn't belong to you?"

There was a collective chorus of _gasps_ and _ooohh's _from the crowd.

Well, well, well. Two can play this game, sister.

He smirked. "Wrong? Maybe. Fun and exciting? Hell's yeah."

She almost looked horrified. "You enjoy being a thief? Stealing from completely innocent people like Mother?"

He didn't know who this 'Mother' was, but he offered her a shrug. "Yep, pretty much. Ya know you should really try it sometime, Goldie. It'll work wonders on that little conscience of yours."

Again, she looked taken aback at his snarky replies. "How can you say things like that? Why would you even need to steal from others?"

He opened his mouth to reply, but then he hesitated. She was looking directly into his hazel brown eyes now. Her face was a bit hardened by their ongoing argument, but beautiful nonetheless. What really made him pause was the concern behind her expression; it was soft, it was caring, and it was _genuine_. Like this young, energetic, petite blonde from God only knows where actually wanted to know the answer of why he lived a life of thievery. No one else in the Snuggly Duckling, or anywhere else for that matter, had stopped to ask why he did what he did. People simply adopted it as if it were common sense: Flynn Rider was a thief, always has been, always will be. It's not like he could wave a magic wand and turn back into. . .that _other_ guy in him. There was simply no turning back. That deadline passed a long time ago.

He shook his head from the internal debate in his mind. "No, no, no, no, Blondie. I am definitely not having that conversation with _you."_ He looked her up and down again, emphasizing on the 'you'.

She put her hands on her hips, obviously looked a bit offended. "And what's that supposed to mean?" she said, raising a brow.

He raised one back, crossing him arms. "It means that I'm not explaining myself and my life to an under aged, inexperienced twerp that doesn't even know how the world works."

It was her turn to hesitate now. Clearly, that little piece of information was now dawning on her. It was almost ironic; Flynn had no idea how right he was at the moment. It was obvious to anyone that Rapunzel was _not_ your average everyday girl, and that maybe her views were a bit more. . .ideal (and childish). But he could never have imagined that the girl before him didn't know a clue about how the world worked.

He smirked at her silence in victory. She didn't have a comeback for once. Though he admired her resolve, it felt a lot more satisfying to finish this argument and fast.

His little victory celebration was cut short, however, by the pounding sound of a gong in the pub. Everybody shared a glance for a millisecond before scrambling around like animals for the exit. And they had good reason to be.

It was a signal that the Royal Guards were coming. And they were bringing plenty of men with 'em.

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><p><strong>AN: I hate it that it's shorter than many of my other chapters but I really wanted to end it here. Don't know when I'll update the next chapter but I can guarantee it'll be less than a month this time. Please REVIEW! That's the only reason I live to write!**


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